- 73 - ) FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS 1< , UNITED NATIONS 1VJ ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Pilot Study on CONSERVATION OF ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS This report was prepared as part of a cooperative project of the United Nations Environment Programme ént it led "Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources" (Pilot Studr) (Project No. Q604-73/002) with The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations as cooperating agency FAO aàknowledges the valuable work of the Consultant J. J . ~;auvergneL Maître Recherche D4partement de Gntique Animale do 1' Institut National do la Recherche Agronomique Centre Nationale do Recherohes Zootechniques 78350 Jouy— en--Josas, Prance \ .,, -,. Rome March 1975 Summary For the moment, the problem of the conservation of domestic breeds in danger of extinotion, as well as animal genetic resources in general, can only be tackled empirically because we do not have enough basic knowledge. The present report proposes remedies for this gap, which is due largely to lack of coordination rather than to lack of competent people and scientific institutions. However, certain urgent practical measures can be undertaken immediately. The solutions recommended vary widely according to local policy and methods of husbandry. If intensive animal production is the aim then the native breeds are sentenced to death. One can foresee only a few small herds kept, for cultural reasons in zoos and regional parks, and, for scientific reasons in order to conserve genes already isolated. If the aim is an improvement in productivity of livestook which are to oontinue to be extensively raised then we must not about saving a series of native breeds with herd numbers large enough to exploit difficult environments and to provide the greatest possible hybrid vigour when crossed. ~ I Qj C 0 ns G t ~1 /04 t TABLE OF CO113NT3 page I. INTRODUCTION II. ACCOUNT OF WORK DONE S 2 Evaluation of the threat to genetic variability 2 Preparation of lists of breeds in danger of extinotion 3 Study of endangered cattle breeds in Europe and the Mediterranean basin 3 Study of practical measures to be taken in order to preserve the Kuri breed 3 of Lake Chad. III. SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS 4 Domestication, breed forntion, genetic variability 4 Competition between breeds and between species and threats to genetio variability 4 Reasons for conserving genetic variability 5 .Conaer'vat ion m.thods 5 Practical lessons of the European cattle enquiry and of the mission to Chad 7 P. The need for biowled.ge and infortion 7 IV. BECOMMENDkTIONS 8 Immediate action 9 Short term action 10 Long term programme 10 Organization 11 V. BThLI0GRAIY . 12 ANNEX 1 A comparison of the breed situation in Corsica and in Sardinia in 15 1974, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and equines, by J.J. Lauvergne ANNEX 2 Disappearing cattle breeds in Europe and the Mediterranean basin, 21 by J.J. Lauvergne ANNEX 3 Preliminary survey of endangered breeds throughout the world, 43 by I.L. Mason ANNEX 4 Report of the Mission to the Kuri cattle of Lake Chad, by I.L. Mason 51 ANNEX 5 Various oth.r contacts nude within the coops of the project, 59 by J.J. Lauvergne -1---- I. INTRODUCTION FAO has -taken an interest in animal genetic resources since 1946. This has led to a nwnber of publications: one on the zebu cattle of India and 1kistan (Joshi. and Thillips, 1953), one on African cattle (Joahi et al., 1957), and one on European cattle (French et al., 1966). A book cataloguing the sheep breeds of the Mediterranean was published jointly with the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux of Great Britain (Mason, 1967). A monograph on buffaloes has recently appeared (Cockrill, 1974). From 1950 onwards a number of intergovernmental meetings have been held in which varying levels of attention have been given to the evaluation, conservation and effective use of animal genetio resources. More recently, expert consultations have been arranged: 1966: general aspects of the problem; 1968: cattle; 1971: pigs; 1973: poultry. PLO also advises governments on the drawing up of their breeding pians, encouraging them to use their own national genetic resources to the full. To facilitate the transfer of bull semen of high genetic quality from advanced countries to less developed ones capable of using improved strains the AGA. Division has initiated the International Bull Semen Donation Scheme. As Friesian cattle are the most important dairy breed in the world, PLO has started, in cooperation with research institutions and governmental bodies in a number of countries, a project to evaluate and compare the genetic merits of semen from Canada, Denmark, Germany (Federal Republic), Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom and U.S.A. The oomparisn is being carried out in Poland where large numbers of suitable Friesian females are available. The first inseminations took place at the beginning of 1974. Similar tests on strains of other important dual-purpose breeds, such as the Simmental and Brown Swiss, are being planned in other East European countries. An FAC consultation of animal production and health experts was held in August 1974 at Copenhagen. It recommended that "FAO should initiate international action to establish cooperative research programmes", especially in a number of fields which included "breed comparisons and crossbreeding't. A working group charged with this task is at present being set up. All these activities of the Division of Animal Production and Health of PLO (AGA) have enabled useful contacts to be made at many levels and have made international opinion aware of the necessity for managing declining and rare genetic resources intelligently. In fact it is part of a more general activity of FAO, namely, the conservation of all animal and plant genetic resources which are useful to man. The Stockholm Conference on the Environment (1972) in its Reoommendation No. 40, recommended that governments, in cooperation with the U.N. Secretary General and FAO, should make inventories of the genetic resources most endangered by depletion or extinotion. The United Nations Environmental Programme (t.TNEP) was a result of the Stockholm decisions. Included in its objectives and priori -ties, stated. in 1973,are: - to promote the protection and conservation of plants and animals, especially rare or endangered species; - to initiate the preparation of a comprehensive catalogue of threatened species and varieties of crop plants, fish, domestic animals and micro-organisms, and to cooperate with 7A0 in its programmes for genetic resource conservation; and - to support regional and national institutions in developing countries for promoting the colleotion, evaluation and conservation of gene pools of plants and animals for maintaining genetic diversity for the future use of mankind. -2- For animal resources UNEP decided, in 1973, in cooperation with FAO, to launch a first pilot project on whose results we are reporting here. This project, No. 0604-73-002, is entitled Conservation of Animal Genetic Rbsources (Pilot Study). It has been carried out, as planned, during 1974. The objectives were:- To prepare a preliminary list of breeds of farm animals which are in danger of extinction together with an account of any measures which have been recommended or taken to prevent this extinction; To assist the Lake Chad Basin Commission in finalizing the preparation of a project for the preservation of the Kuri cattle breed with the possible support of UNEP. The first objective was the logical result of Recommendation No. 40 by the Stockholm Conference. The survey had to be made from the available literature s by corresponaence and by visits to selected sources of information in speoific countries or regions. As much information as time would allow was to be included on numbers, distribution, characteristics and economic value of each breed and especially on any unique genetic features such as disease resistance or environmental adaptation, but, in general, this detailed information would have to wait for the definitive inventory. The survey would also reveal what action is being taken in individual countries to keep track of disappearing breeds and to preserve them. The second part of the project was designed to move immediately from survey to action. The humpless Kuri breed of Lake Chad is unique in its habitat and morphology. Its buoy- shaped spongy horns are unknown in any other breed. Its habitat is, for cattle, a very special one, namely the islands and shores of Lake Chad. To this environment it is remar1ably adapted and animals are quite accustomed to swim for their food. It is also an excellent beef animal. Nevertheless a curious combination of climatic vagaries and economic circumstances may be leading to the decline in numbers of the purebred. The rise of the water level of the lake in 1960 reduced the grazing area. Because two zebus can be obtained for one Kuri, bartering is leading to extensive crossbreeding with neighbouring z*bu breeds. This case is also inter- esting because it is international - the four riparian states of Lake Chad are all involved, namely Niger, Nigeria, Chad. and Cameroon. If a suitable project for the preservation of this breed can be formulated it would act as a model for preserving other unique breeds in developing countries which are declining because of external circumstances. IL, ACCOUNT OF %R1C DONE A. Evaluation of the threat to genetic variability 1. List of existing literature. This was made at FAO headquarters at the start of the project. It is an indispensable basis but gaps and publication delays make it insufficient. - 2. Conferences of experts. Within the framework of the First World Congress of Genetics applied to Livestock Production (Madrid, 11-16 October, 1974) the Animal Breeding Officer in FAO organized a round table called of Animal Genetic Resources" with twelve contributors and more than seventy participants.